US 2009/0215322 A1Published application

Electrical connector

AssigneeOlympus Medical Systems Corp.

InventorKoji OMORI

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A first groove portion into which a first plug connector can fit and a second groove portion that surrounds the first groove portion and into which a second plug connector can fit are formed in a receptacle connector. By arranging first receiving-side contacts that contact against and conduct with contacts of the first plug connector in the first groove portion and arranging second receiving-side contacts that contact against and conduct with contacts of the second plug connector in the second groove portion, plug connectors with mutually different shapes and in which the number of contacts are mutually different can be easily and reliably connected to a common receptacle connector. It is therefore possible to reduce the mounting space of the receptacle connector to prevent an increase in the apparatus size, and also improve the usability.

Claims7

Dependent claims

An electrical connector, comprising:

a first plug connector having a first protruding portion on which first contacts are arranged;
a second plug connector having a pair of second protruding portions on which second contacts are respectively arranged;
and
a receptacle connector that includes:
an opening into which the first plug connector and the second plug connector can be selectively inserted,
a first groove portion that is provided inside the opening, and into which the first protruding portion of the first plug connector can fit,
first receiving-side contacts that are arranged inside the first groove portion so as to electrically conduct with the first contacts in a state in which the first protruding portion has been fitted therein,
a pair of second groove portions that are provided so as to surround the first groove portion, and into which the pair of second protruding portions can fit, and
second receiving-side contacts that are arranged inside the pair of second groove portions, respectively, so as to electrically conduct with the second contacts in a state in which the pair of second protruding portions have been fitted therein.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/361,016Filed 28 Jan 2009
Priority: JP 2008-04664927 Feb 2008
Published: 27 Aug 2009
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

H01R 27/00
Coupling parts adapted for co-operation with two or more dissimilar counterparts
A61B 1/00124
Connectors, fasteners and adapters, e.g. on the endoscope handle: electrical, e.g. electrical plug-and-socket connection
A61B 1/00128
Connectors, fasteners and adapters, e.g. on the endoscope handle: mechanical, e.g. for tubes or pipes
H01R
Electrically-conductive connections